Envelope and card unit



May 4, 1965 A. L. LITTMAN ENVELOPE AND CARD UNIT Filed Dec. 26, 1963 O v a u H TR UR s so R R0 A M llulllov l1 B M. 4 5 m 3 H k FIG. 3

N Em u mR R C u RM RA v q 6 w 2 G I F 8 mm n mfi w N v m nN m w T 1 T M A! L. BM Y B United States Patent 3,181,774 ENVELOPE AND CARD UNIT Alan L. Littman, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Wolf Envelope Company, Cleveland, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,293 Claims. (Cl. 229-70) This invention relates to an envelope and card unit and particularly relates to a unitary envelope and detachable card in combination.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved envelope and detachable card unit wherein the envelope is provided with a front panel having a pair of window cut-outs and a plurality of foldable flaps integrally connected thereto and adapted to be folded into an envelope, wherein the card is detachably secured to one of the flaps and contains recipient and return address indicia which is adapted to be positioned adjacent to and in alignment with the window cut-outs when the envelope is folded, and wherein the card means contains a fold line so that it can be folded to wallet size upon being detached.

Another object is to provide a new and improved envelope and detachable card combination wherein the envelope and detachable card are formed as an integral unit and wherein said envelope contains advertising material or other printed or pictorial matter on one or both sides thereof and wherein the detachable card is of the folded type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved envelope and detachable card unit wherein the card, which contains information the recipient would be desirous of retaining, is adapted to be detachably secured to an envelope flap and then conveniently folded along a fold line so as to be wallet-sized.

A further object is to provide a new and improved envelope and card unit wherein the recipient and return addresses can either be aiiixed to one side of the card means by an addressing machine before folding the unit into an envelope or after folding the unit into an envelope.

The present invention provides a novel envelope and card unit comprising a unitary envelope and detachable card in combination. The envelope comprises a front panel having a pair of aligned window cut-outs and a plurality of flaps. The card is detachably connected to one of the flaps via a score line and contains return and recipient address indicia which is aligned with the window cut-outs so as to be visible when the flap to which it is connected is folded across the back of the front panel. The card also is adapted to be folded along a fold line extending thereacross when detached, preferably so as to be wallet-sized. The other flaps are adapted to be folded across the back of'the front panel to form an envelope with the card means contained therein.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the envelope and card unit of the present invention in its unfolded condition;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the envelope and card unit of the present invention showing the side flaps in their folded position;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the envelope and card unit of the present invention showing all of the flaps in their folded position; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the envelope and card unit of the present invention.

The novel envelope and card unit of the present in- ICC.

vention is adapted to be primarily used for promotional advertising purposes wherein the card itself would contain information of such a character or be of suffioient value that the recipient thereof would want to detach; it and keep it in a convenient place such as a wallet.

The card itself could be a preferred credit card, a card containing a free gift offer, a membership card, a card acknowledging a charitable contribution, or other suitble card which would have sufficient value to the recip ient. The unit itself could have advertising material or" respectively, and a pair of side flaps 8 and 9 integrally interconnected with the front panel along fold lines 12 and 13, respectively.

A card 14 is preferably detachably connected to the flap means 9 by a vertically extending score line 16, although it could be connected to the flap by a perforated line, pin-hole punched line, etc. The card 14 contains return address indicia 15 on the top portionof the inner face and recipient address indicia 20 at the bottom portion of the inner face thereof. The card 8 also contains a longitudinal fold line 17 extending thereacross which is perpendicular to the score line 16 and which divides the card into two equal halves.

The envelope is formed by first folding the side fiaps 8 and 9 along their fold lines 12 and 13, respectively, toward and into juxtaposition with the inner surface or back of the front panel 3. When the side flap 9 is folded into juxtaposition with the inner face or back of the front panel, it will position the address indicia for the return and the recipient addresses 15 and 20 contained on the inner face of the card in alignment with the window cut-outs 4 and 5, respectively. Then the bottom flap 6 is folded along its fold line 10 toward and into juxtaposition with the inner surface or back of the front panel. The flap 6 when folded into position extends to near the top longitudinal extending edge of the front panel 2 and substantially covers the side flaps 8 and 9.

The top flap 7 contains on the inner surface thereof a marginal strip or spots of gummed adhesive 18, and is adapted to be folded downwardly along fold line 11 toward and in juxtaposition with the outer surface of the bottom flap with the marginal strip or spots thereof sealingly engaging said bottom fiap. The use of just a marginal strip or gummed spots of adhesive on the top flap will provide suliicient sealing for the envelope and easy opening thereof once sealed. Also, the side flap 8 could have a gummed adhesive surface 19, preferably spot gummed, formed thereon which would sealingly engage the inner surface of the bottom flap when the bottom flap is folded thereagainst if a tighter all around seal were desired.

The novel envelope and card unit of the present invention can be made from any suitable paper stock normally used in connection with the manufacture of envelopes.

The card can be of any suitable size so long as it fits within the envelope when folded. However, the card is preferably of a size which when folded in half will be the standard size of conventional cards which are adapted to be retained in a wallet.

The return and recipient address indicia can be applied to the card by a conventional addressing machine either when the envelope and card unit is unfolded or after it Patented May 4, 1965 is folded by atfixing the address indicia to the card through the window cut-outs 4 and 5.

The novel envelope and card unit of the present invention lends itself especially to promotional advertising campaigns. By using an envelope with two aligned window cut-outs and by afiixing the return and recipient address on the card itself, an envelope and card unit is effected which, when folded, provides return and recipient address indicia for the envelope when mailed and contains a permanent record of the recipient and sender on the card itself.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is described hereinabove in great detail, it will be understood that modifications, changes, and adaptations may be made therein, and it is intended hereby to cover all such modifications, changes, and adaptations coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An envelope and card combination comprising: a front panel having a pair of spaced apart but vertically aligned window cut-outs, a bottom flap integrally connected by a fold line to said front panel along one edge thereof, a top flap provided with an adhesive surface integrally connected by a fold line to said front panel along the opposite edge thereof, a pair of side flaps integrally connected by fold lines to said front panel along the other edges thereof, a detachable card means integrally connected by a score line to one of said side flaps, said card means containing the address of the recipient and the address of the sender, said one flap when folded along its fold line into juxtaposition with the front panel positioning the address of the recipient in alignment with one window cut-out and the address of the sender in alignment with the other window cut-out, the other of said side flaps being adapted to be folded along a fold line against the front panel, said bottom flap being adapted to be folded along its fold line against the front panel over the side flaps, said top flap being adapted to be folded along its fold line and in sealing engagement with the bottom flap.

2. An envelope and card combination comprising a body unit having a panel and a plurality of flaps adapted to be folded across the back of said panel to form an envelope, one of said flaps comprising a detachable card means disposed adjacent the back of said panel when said unit is folded, said card means having an area on the 4 side adjacent the panel for indicia of recipient address, said panel having a window cut-out so that the address indicia is visible, said card means having a fold line extending thereacross, said flaps including a seal flap connected by a fold line to said body unit and foldable over said flaps to seal the envelope.

3. The envelope and card combination of claim 2 wherein said card has an area on the side adjacent the panel for indicia of return address and said panel has a second window cut-out aligned with the first cut-out so that the indicia of return address is visible.

4. The envelope and card combination of claim 3 wherein the fold line extending across the card divides the card into two equal halves and wherein the card is walletsized when folded along its fold line.

5. An envelope and card unit for mailing comprising: an elongated rectangular front panel having a pair of spaced apart, vertically aligned window cut-outs therein, upper and lower flaps integrally interconnected by fold lines along the longitudinal edges of the front panel, left and right side flaps integrally interconnected by fold lines along the transverse edges of the front panel, a card means integrally interconnected to one of said side flaps by a score line to thereby enable it to be readily detached from the flap, said card means containing spaced apart vertically aligned return and recipient address indicia, said address indicia being aligned with said cut-outs when the side flap to which it is attached is folded into juxtaposition with said front panel, said card means containing a 1ongitndinal fold line extending thereacross which divides the card into two equal halves, said upper flap being a seal fiap, said flaps adapted to be folded into an envelope with the card contained inside thereof and with said upper flap being sealingly engaged with said lower flap.

References Gited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,116,043 11/ 14 Elliott 229-38 1,145,935 7/15 Sternke 229-73 3,073,509 1/63 Schuessler 229--73 FOREIGN PATENTS 931,721 7/63 Great Britain.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ENVELOPE AND CARD COMBINATION COMPRISING: A FRONT PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED APART BUT VERTICALLY ALIGNED WINDOW CUT-OUTS, A BOTTOM FLAPS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BY A FOLD LINE TO SAID FRONT PANEL ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF, A TOP FLAP PROVIDED WITH AN ADHESIVE SURFACE INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BY A FOLD LINE TO SAID FRONT PANEL ALONG THE OPPOSITE EDGE THEREOF, A PAIR OF SIDE FLAPS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BY FOLD LINES TO SAID FRONT PANEL ALONG THE OTHER EDGES THEREOF, A DETACHABLE CARD MEANS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BY A SOURCE LINE TO ONE OF SAID SIDE FLAPS, SAID CARD MEANS CONTAINING THE ADDRESS OF THE RECIPINT AND THE ADDRESS OF TH SENDER, SAID ONE FLAP WHEN FOLDED ALONG ITS FOLD LINE INTO JUXTAPOSITION WITH THE FRONT PANEL POSITIONING THE ADDRESS OF THE RECIPIENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE WINDOIW CUT-OUT AND THE ADDRESS OF THE SENDER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER WINDOW CUT-OUT, THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE FLAPS BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED ALONG A FOLD LINE AGAINST THE FRONT PANEL, SAID BOTTOM FLAP BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED ALONG ITS FOLD LINE AGAINST THE FRONT PANEL OVER THE SIDE FLAPS, SAID TOP FLAP BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED ALONG ITS FOLD LINE AND IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOTTOM FLAP. 